Final Work Expected Finished In a Year
09.December, Montpelier VT – Vermont Agency of Transportation Rail & Aviation Director Dan Delabruere updated the Vermont Rail Council on the extension of Amtrak’s Ethan Allen route to Burlington. The project remains on schedule and the train is expected to begin early in 2022. “We had some CoVid delays, contractor issues, but not that bad. […]
09.December, Montpelier VT – At a meeting with the Vermont Rail Council, Vermont Transportation Secretary Joe Flynn emphasized the state’s commitment to Amtrak service, despite the current CoVid suspension. Flynn reflected on the seriousness of the virus and the rapidity of its spread as justification for the suspension and as an indication that the train […]
PREVIOUS PLANS ADJUSTED BASED ON PUBLIC INPUT AND PERSISTENT LOW RIDERSHIP. CHANGES ARE IN EFFECT FOR FY2021 ONLY. FY2022 PROSPECTS WILL BE EVALUATED THIS COMING SPRING.
14.December, Boston MA {MBTA Press Release, lightly edited} – Today the MBTA’s Fiscal and Management Control Board (FMCB) approved a series of revised short-term service changes for Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21) that incorporate recent public input and additional analysis of ridership. These service changes help match service levels with current and near-term low ridership demand […]
VIA Rail Canada has announced that it has launched on 30 November, the second phase of its procurement process to modernize its maintenance centers in and Toronto in preparation for the arrival of its new Québec City-Windsor corridor fleet. Following the Request for qualifications, launched in January 2020, five companies have been selected to participate […]
BIPARTISAN PROPOSED $900 BILLION COVID RELIEF PACKAGE FLOATING IN SENATE; INCLUDES $1 BILLION FOR AMTRAK AND $15 BILLION FOR TRANSIT
The bill is far from a done deal, but does represent forward movement after many weeks of deadlock. The eight senators that are championing the compromise made clear that the bill was a short-term fix to provide emergency funding between now and March 31, 2021 and Democrats are talking of further covid relief measures once […]
WASHINGTON, D.C. – 30 November 2020 – Amtrak CEO Bill Flynn announced that Stephen Gardner has been appointed President, effective 1 December 2020. Gardner’s appointment is part of a broader set of actions taken under Flynn’s leadership, working with the Board of Directors, to ensure that Amtrak is well positioned for success in fiscal year […]
CSX INTEREST IN PAS B&M ROUTE IMPLICITLY PUTS CSX B&A LINE ON THE BLOCK; ONLY ONE BUYER IS WILLING TO PAY THE PRICE.
A long-sought East-West passenger solution may be another dramatic discovery fallen out of Norfolk Southern’s recent filing with the STB, which divulges CSX’s advanced interest in partnering with NS on the B&M/Patriot Corridor line. Numerous advocates have publicly urged the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to impose itself in the Pan-Am sale, as an opportunity to secure […]
Funds for major Norwalk River and Connecticut River projects on Metro-North and Amtrak
27, October-Washington DC–Two major bridge replacements in Connecticut will get USDOT ‘State of Good Repair’ grants, announced Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, replacing the Norwalk (“walk”) bridge on Metro-North and the Connecticut River bridge on Amtrak between Old Saybrook and Old Lyme. Both movable bridges are long-time priorities, prone to malfunction and their replacement will mean […]
SIX PILOT CARS DELIVERED BY TRUCK TO REBUILT CABOT YARD FOR TESTING, PLANNED SPRING PASSENGER SERVICE.
08.October, Boston MA – Six, extra-long low-boy tractor-trailer combos wended their way though South Boston to MBTA’s Cabot Yard, each carrying a white-wrapped Red Line pilot test car. The new cars had been shipped from Shangai CH via Newark NJ. The cars were produced at CRRC’s
Magog, Quebec – 8.October – The PAL + management team has made the decision to cease operations of the Orford Express tourist train. The train had been inactive for the past few months due to COVID-19. This decision is the result of several factors including the growth and development of the group’s other businesses. […]